Disclosed herein is a polymeric composition comprising a copolymer comprising a first monomer having a high carbon to oxygen ratio of from about 3 to about 8; a second monomer comprising two or more vinyl groups, wherein the second monomer is present in the copolymer in an amount of from greater than about 8 percent by weight to about 40 percent by weight, based on the weight of the copolymer; and optionally, a third monomer comprising an amine, wherein the third monomer, if present, is present in an amount of from about 0.1 percent by weight to about 1.5 percent by weight, based on the weight of the copolymer; and a surfactant, wherein the surfactant has a minimum surface tension at critical micelle concentration of less than about 30 mN/m.
Further disclosed herein is a toner comprising toner particles comprising at least one resin, in combination with an optional colorant, and an optional wax; and a copolymer toner surface additive on at least a portion of an external surface of the toner particles, the copolymer toner surface additive comprising a first monomer having a high carbon to oxygen ratio of from about 3 to about 8; a second monomer comprising two or more vinyl groups, wherein the second monomer is present in the copolymer in an amount of from greater than about 8 percent by weight to about 40 percent by weight, based on the weight of the copolymer; and optionally, a third monomer comprising an amine, wherein the third monomer, if present, is present in an amount of from about 0.1 percent by weight to about 1.5 percent by weight, based on the weight of the copolymer; and a surfactant, wherein the surfactant has a minimum surface tension at critical micelle concentration of less than about 30 mN/m; wherein the copolymer toner additive has a volume average particle diameter of from about 20 nanometers to less than 70 nanometers.
Further disclosed is a toner process comprising contacting at least one resin; an optional wax; an optional colorant; and an optional aggregating agent; heating to form aggregated toner particles; optionally, adding a shell resin to the aggregated toner particles, and heating to a further elevated temperature to coalesce the particles; adding a surface additive, wherein the surface additive comprises: a first monomer having a high carbon to oxygen ratio of from about 3 to about 8; a second monomer comprising two or more vinyl groups, wherein the second monomer is present in the copolymer in an amount of from greater than about 8 percent by weight to about 40 percent by weight, based on the weight of the copolymer; optionally, a third monomer comprising an amine, wherein the third monomer, if present, is present in an amount of from about 0.1 percent by weight to about 1.5 percent by weight, based on the weight of the copolymer; and a surfactant, wherein the surfactant has a minimum surface tension at critical micelle concentration of less than about 30 mN/m; wherein the copolymer toner surface additive has a volume average particle diameter of from about 20 nanometers to less than 70 nanometers; and optionally, recovering the toner particles.
Electrophotographic printing utilizes toner particles which may be produced by a variety of processes. One such process includes an emulsion aggregation (“EA”) process that forms toner particles in which surfactants are used in forming a latex emulsion. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,967, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, as one example of such a process.
Combinations of amorphous and crystalline polyesters may be used in the EA process. This resin combination may provide toners with high gloss and relatively low-melting point characteristics (sometimes referred to as low-melt, ultra low melt, or ULM), which allows for more energy efficient and faster printing.
The use of additives with EA toner particles may be important in realizing optimal toner performance, such as, for providing improved charging characteristics, improved flow properties, and the like. Poor fusing creates problems in paper adhesion and print performance. Poor toner flow cohesion can affect toner dispense, which creates problems in gravity-fed cartridges, and leads to deletions on paper. In addition, the use of additives with EA toner particles may also mitigate bias charge roller (BCR) contamination.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,663,886, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes in the Abstract thereof polymeric additives for use with toner particles. The polymeric additive includes a copolymer possessing at least one monomer having a high carbon to oxygen ration, a monomer having more than one vinyl group, and at least one amine-functional monomer.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/914,411 of Richard P. N. Veregin et al., entitled “Toner Compositions And Surface Polymer Additives,” which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes in the Abstract thereof a polymeric composition for use with toner particles. The polymeric composition includes a silicone-polyether copolymer and a polymeric additive, wherein the silicone-polyether copolymer comprises a polysiloxane unit and a polyether unit, and the polymeric additive comprises a copolymer possessing at least one monomer having a high carbon to oxygen ratio, a monomer having more than one vinyl group, and at least one amine-functional monomer.
There is a continual need for improving the additives used in toners, including formation of EA toners, especially low-melt EA toners to improve toner flow and reduce BCR contamination. There is also a continual need to develop lower cost EA toners.
Due to certain regulatory requirements, compositions, including toners, having one percent or more titania are expected to require special labeling. Further, having titania in a toner formulation is anticipated to be an issue for Blue Angel certifications. In addition, silica and titania additives add considerable cost to the toner formulation. Thus, there is a desire to reduce or eliminate titania in toner formulations.
Currently available toner compositions and processes are suitable for their intended purposes. However a need remains for improved toner compositions and processes. Further, a need remains for reduced cost toner compositions and processes. Further, a need remains for toner compositions having performance characteristics as well or better than prior compositions while meeting the desire for reduced amounts of titania. Further, a need remains for toner compositions, in embodiments, color toner compositions, that can perform as desired without requiring titania additives.
The appropriate components and process aspects of the each of the foregoing U.S. Patents and Patent Publications may be selected for the present disclosure in embodiments thereof. Further, throughout this application, various publications, patents, and published patent applications are referred to by an identifying citation. The disclosures of the publications, patents, and published patent applications referenced in this application are hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains.